Recently in Michigan Category

Hearing from Kira Bursky is like opening a present. You never know what to expect but odds are you're going to like it. If you've seen her work you know what I mean. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with what's she's been doing and have a couple of things to announce.

First she has just graduated from high school. She has been attending Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. A boarding school with an international reputation for it's studies in writing, visual, and performing arts. The film below is called We're Okay and it's her senior thesis film. It is a story about self image that includes animation to portray what is going on inside the head of the actor. Kira said she read a lot of self-help books in doing her research for material to include in the piece. It sends a positive message that despite what we might think about ourselves or what others might think about us we are loved and wanted.

Also, she made a film on the subject of using technology to aid foreign students in communicating when coming to America. It was chosen to be screened at the White House where she, along with her mother and the lead actress in Hello From Malaysia, Aiman Marzio, met with such notable people as Bill Nye, Kal Penn, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and the president himself.

We're OK is a combination live action and animated tale of an 18 year old girl suffering from depression. She has decided to kill herself. In this fantasy drama we will see what's going on inside of Delilah and the part of herself she presents to her friends and family.

Kira Bursky will be directing. Kira is well known here as an exceptional creative mind with several films in her catalogue as well as being a musician and songwriter.

Check out the Kickstarter campaign for We're Okay and help fund a film that will not only be entertaining but give some insight into teen depression and sexuality.

Kira Bursky is a talented young lady, filmmaker, and musician. I always look forward to finding out what comes next from her. She splits her time between home in Ahseville, NC and Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. A boarding high school where she is in the Motion Pictures Arts program.

Kira has just directed and completed her short film Clean which was made for the Asheville 48 Hour Film Project and won the award for Best Cinematography. Recently I had the opportunity to talk with her about the film and some of her other work. Find out what what she has to say below.

"Tell me a story!" as the character in Sleepyhead might say. Kira Bursky can do just that. With a wonderful sense of style she can weave a tale on film that is sure get your attention. She spends her summers in Asheville, North Carolina and the rest of the year at school in Interlochen, Michigan where she attends the Interlochen Academy of the Arts. Often working with fellow filmmaker Mida Chu there. They have made several films together and have won some awards at festivals with them.

"We both have distinct styles, but when we collaborate we create an almost seemingly new style: the IA Production style I guess one could say. We both recognize that there are some things that we cannot co-direct, but even when that sort of situation occurs (for instance, for our film "Johnny Boy" I directed, he DP'ed), the other person will DP or help out in some sort of large capacity."

Fool's Paradise is her latest and she's producing this one with her production company All Around Artsy. Check out the Kickstarter campaign video and trailer below. Help Kira get Fool's Paradise into as many festivals as possible.

Sleep Tight Entertainment is casting for the upcoming feature film Figure. Filming will take place in and around Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan. SAG (fully paid) applicants will be considered first but non-union talent is encouraged to apply.

Figure is about a mysterious man dressed in white that focuses on a certain group of teenagers as he murders members of the community. Richard Pryor Jr. has been cast in the film.

Roles:

John: Caucasian male around 10 or 11 any size, any shape.

Gina's Father: Caucasian male early to mid 40's any size, any shape.

Gina's Sister: Caucasian female around 7 or 8 any size, any shape.

Vanessa's Mother: Caucasian female late 30's early 40's small to medium build.

Auditions are open for A Christmas Store - The Musical. A story of a boy who wants a BB gun fro Christmas and it's all he can think about.

Based on the humorist Jean Shepherd's novel "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash," this is a Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas.

Wanted are boys and girls ages 8 - 14 that can sing, dance, and act.

This is a touring show beginning in Chicago, Illinois; then Hershey, Pennsylvania; Detroit, Michigan; Raleigh, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida and then returning to Chicago..

An open call for extras for the movie OZ: The Great and Powerful will be held in Pontiac, Michigan next weekend. A prequel to The Wizard of OZ it will star James Franco as Oz the wizard along with Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michele Williams, and Zach Braff.

Musicians are needed for the 2011-2012 season of the West Michigan Youth Symphony. Open auditions will be on Friday, May 5th from 5-7 p.m.and again on Saturday, May 6th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sixth graders to college sophomores who take part in a school music program will qualify for the positions, and some will be eligible for college credit. Auditions will be held at: